Family of school shooting victim to be honored by UConn band

EAST HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — Max Schachter wore his son’s University of Connecticut sweatshirt Thursday to the football game between UConn and Central Florida.

Alex Schachter was killed in the February shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. He had planned to apply to UConn and play trombone. His father has said the 14-year-old wore the shirt every day to school.

“I haven’t worn it since he passed away,” he said. “I wanted to wear it today.”

UConn’s marching band played Alex’s favorite song, Chicago’s “25 or 6 to 4,” at halftime and spelled out the name “Alex” on the field as fans stood and applauded.

The university sent a posthumous letter of admission to Alex’s family shortly after his death and the family has set up a band scholarship at UConn in his name.

“After February 14th I was in the worst place, Max Schachter said. “I hated life. I hated the world. I wanted to die. And a week later, to get the letter from UConn saying they were going to admit Alex to the school that he always wanted to go to, the school that his mother went to, the school that his brother went to, the school that he came to in the summers and dreamed about being in the band and meeting his idol, Ray Allen. It was incredible.”

Schacter said he sees his son in every band member on the field and told them each to spend their time being kind to people.